Introducing Tia

{Sadly Tia's Original Account was closed after this interview but I am working on getting new images from her new account. Please do check out her photostream for her lovely artful images...}

Tia M. Bailey
1000beautifulthings ~ Photostream
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Photographer and Mixed Media Artist
Shop ~ 1000beautifulthings
Shop ~ 1000beautifuldesigns
Equipment ~ I started out with a point and shoot Nikon Coolpix about 5 years ago and now I shoot with my Canon 50D or on rare occasions, my Polaroid. The lens that I never leave home without is my Canon 50mm f/1.8. I love the depth of field and lighting that I can get with it.

I grew up in a small town (Del Rio, TX) on the border of Texas and Mexico. My dad was stationed at an Air Force base there and though I would love to say that we traveled all over the place, that was not the case. I learned early on that I was different, overly sensitive, and that I did not see the world as most of my peers did. This caused me to be very introverted and shy during elementary school. It was not until high school when I joined theater that I really came out of my shell.
Today, I am a wife, mother, and photographer/mixed media artist. I have always “taken pictures” but it was not until 2006-2007 that I picked up the camera and really started to look at my world through the lens. This has opened up a whole new world to me and now I cannot imagine my world without a camera in hand.

Why do you photograph?
I want to tell a story, evoke an emotion, get people to “feel” something when they look at my images.

Is there a particular photographer you admire? What is it about their work that you enjoy?
I admire many artists, but I would have to say that the images created by Lars Van De Goor were some of the first images that just made my jaw drop and I said, “That is what I want to do!”

If you process your images at all, what software do you use and how much processing do you do?
I am mostly self taught in photoshop. I took a very basic class in 2006 and have learned the rest from experimentation and trial and error. The amount of processing that I do varies from image to image. Sometimes I am happy with just popping color a bit and then other times I may spend 2-3 hours creating a whole “scene” using textures and layers, cloning or erasing . It all comes from what I feel when I take the picture and what I want the viewer to see when they are looking at my pieces.

How did you learn your skills - are you self-taught?
For the most part, I am self –taught. My dad handed me my first camera when I was only 6 years old and told me to take pictures of whatever I wanted to. He had a darkroom at the time and so getting my images back was pretty easy (and cheap). I did take a 9 month course but it focused 6 months of shooting black and white film on a 35mm and was more of a review of what I already knew rather than expanding my skills.

What is the next piece of equipment/software on your wish list?
Hmmm… I would have to say a wide angle lens is probably going to be my next big buy. But I am also wanting to get a good monitor calibration system.

What inspires your photos?
My inspiration comes mostly from nature and the outdoors. I love natural light. I am also inspired by lyrics, movies and stories.

What is your favourite subject or theme to photograph? (self-portraits, still life, your children, your dog, etc.)
My favorite subject would have to be nature. I never have to ask it to pose for me. It is always there, and as long as the Oklahoma winds are not blowing like mad, then I’m alright.

Do you self-portrait? Discuss how it makes you feel.
I am not a huge fan of taking pictures of myself. I think this stems from my childhood and looking “different” than the other kids I grew up with. I have always been very self conscious. I think as I continue to lose weight and become more comfortable in my own skin, then I will take more.

What is your biggest challenge? (time, weather, lighting, etc.)
My biggest challenge right now is time. I would love to be able to take the time to just travel wherever I wanted and shoot on a daily basis. But the real world beckons me with a job, a teenager, and life at full throttle.

What advice do you have for new photographers?
I would have to say, don’t be afraid to experiment. Join a group of photographers in your area, go to meetups. There are always things to be learned and ideas to be explored.


Thank you so much for being featured here Tia. We love your work! Best of luck...
~Andrea and Kari